Duplex switch actuator



May 22, 1956 G. H. HANSEN ETAI- 2,747,035

DUPLEX SWITCH ACTUATOR Filed March 9, 1955 2 SheGtS-Shee'b l IN VEN TORS May 22, 1956 G. H. HANSEN ET AL 2,747,035

DUPLEX SWITCH ACTUATOR Filed March 9. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 NVENTORS I I, 536 HV ir/MW nited States Patent() DUPLEX SWITCH ACTUATOR Gilbert H. Hansen, Batavia, and Nobel H. Koertge and Paul F. White, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignors to Fui-nas Electric Company, Batavia, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 9, 1953, Serial No. 341,102

Claims. (Cl. 200--17) The present invention relates generally to improvements in devices for controlling the operation of several .switches located at a common station, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of mechanism for effecting either independent 4or simultaneous actuation of a pair of electric reversing :switches in either forward or reverse direction with the :aid of a common actuating member.

The primary object of our present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for actuating several electric switches disposed at a common station, and which is simple and durable in construction and readily manipulable so as to insure most effective functioning of the switches.

It is frequently desirable to locate more than one electric reversing switch for controlling the operation of several machines or different parts of the same mechanism, at a common station so that a single attendant may actnate the control switches either independently or simultaneously in either forward or reverse direction. In order to effect such actuation of several independent master switches, the attendant should preferably be able to manipulate the actuator while looking at the machine or mechanism which is controlled by the switches, but the actuating mechanism must be reliable and accurate in operation in order to .insure most effective and safe functioning 0f the controlled devices.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide an improved multiple electric switch actuator wherein a common manipulator may be readily actuated to effect either independent or simultaneous operation of several master switches in either forward or reverse direction.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a duplex switch actuator especially adapted to effect several settings of a pair of master switches disposed at a common control station, with the aid of a single manually manipulable actuating element.

A further important object of our invention is to provide a compact but sturdy control unit for effecting universal operation of several standard reversing switches, by merely manipulating a single lever swingable in various directions corresponding to different settings of the switches.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple but highly dependable duplex switch actuating device which may be manufactured at moderate cost for diverse uses, and may also be conveniently manipulate-d to insure most effective operation of the switches.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description from which it will be apparent that the gist of the improvement is the provision of a dual electric switch actuator wherein a single lever which is universally swingable about a fulcrum point is manipulable to actuate a pair of electric reversing switches either independently or simultaneously in either forward or reverse direction at the will of the operator.

2,747,035 Patented May 22, 1956 A clear conception of the features constituting oui irivention and of the construction and operation of a typical duplex switch actuating unit embodying the improvement, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

F ig. 1 is a top View of one of the improved duplex control units for master switches, a portion of the actuating lever and of the top closure plate having been broken away so as to reveal normally hidden structure;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the oscillatory master reversing switches associated with the duplex unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of one of the master switches illustrating the contacts in reverse position;

Fig. 4 is a similar wiring diagram of the same switch but illustrating the contacts in forward position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the unit shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the common actuator for the two switches;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the switch actuating mechanism of the unit, taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is another transverse vertical section through the same actuating mechanism, but taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a modified type of actuating lever, viewed as in Fig. 7.

While the invention has been illustrated and described herein as being embodied in a duplex master switch unit having a pair of oscillatory reversing switches of a particular type operable by the improved actuating mechanism, it is not ,intended to unnecessarily limit the use of the improved features to such an assemblage, and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the improved duplex switch actuating unit shown therein, comprises in general, a pair of similar electric reversing switches 10 each normally housed within a casing 11 and being mounted upon a common base 12 with the switch operating shafts 13 disposed perpendicular relative to each other and projecting from the adjacent side walls of the casings 11; and a single manually movable actuator or lever 14 universally swingable about a common fulcrum point and cooperating with mechanism confined within a lever supporting housing 15 also carried by the base 12, to effect oscillation of the shafts 13 either independently or simultaneously in either direction depending upon the manner in which the switches 10 are to be selectively operated.

Each of the master reversing switches 10 may be of the well known type shown generally in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and embodying three sets of xed and movable contacts 17, 1S, 19, of which the common contacts 17 are alternately connectable with either the reversing contacts 1S or with the forward contacts 19 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively; and the movable contacts of these three sets are actuable by internal cams carried by the oscillatory operating shafts 13. Each switch 10 has a base plate 20 provided with an opening 21 adapted to register with a similar opening in the main base 12 of the control unit and through which the electrical conductors 22 may extend, and the casings 11 which normally conceal and protect the switches 10 are detachably secured to the base plate 26 and base 12 by screws 23.

The outwardly projecting end of each switch operating shaft 13 has a pinion 2S secured thereto and which meshes with an adjacent larger gear 26, both of these gear sets being contined within protective walls 27 formed integral with the adjacent side walls of the rectangular lever supporting housing 1S, see Figs. 6 and 7. One of the gears 26 is secured to the adjacent end of a one-piece horizontal shaft 28 journalled in' bearings 29 formed in the housing and spanning the upper interior of this housing, while the. other sear- 26 is likewise secured t0 the end. of. one division offa horizontal crank shaft, 3i) journalled in bearings 31 also formed in the housing 15 and the divisions of'whijch are 'rrnly united by a depending crank 32 disposed within this housing and having an elongated slot 33, therein- The central longitudinal axes of the shafts 28. Si) intersect each other at the common fulcrum point of the lever 14j, andthe upper end of this universally swiugable actuating lever 1'4 is provided with a gripping ball 35' while its lower cylindrical end 36 is swingable along the crank slot 33 and itsmedi'aliportion 37 is enlarged and provided with a vertically elongated opening 38 through which thc one-piece shaft 28 extends. The medial level portion 37 is pvotally secured to the mid-portion of the shaft 2,8 by means of a transverse pin 39,4 so that the lever 14 may be swung toward the right or left about the pin 39 as viewed in Fig. 6 in order to oscillate the crank shaft Sii only, or it may be swung toward the right or left as viewed in Fig., 7 in order to oscillate the one-piece shaft 23 alone, or this lever may be swung in any intermediate plane in order to simultaneously rotate both of the shafts 30, 28.

The lever and shaft supporting casing or housing 15 is internally unobstructed so as to. permit free swinging of the lever end 36 and of the crank 32 therein, and this rectangular housing 15 is detachably secured to the main base 12 by Screws 41 and has its upper end provided with a top closure 42 formed with a central clearance opening 4 3 and which is removably secured to the housing 15 by other screws 44. The pinions and gears 26 are of such relative diametersl that the oscillation of the latter by means ofthe lever 14 wil-1 properly operate the switches 10; and while the lower end 36 ofthe actuating lever 14 and which rides along the crank slot 33 is forrned of wear resistant material, this lever end 36 may be modified as in Fig. 8 aridj provided with an anti-friction roller 45 adapted to roll along the slot 33 so as to reduce the Wear and to facilitate manipulation of the lever 14. The one-piece shaft 28 may also be provided with a thrust collar 46 secured theretoby a, set screw 47, and which prevents longitudinal shiftin g of this shaft, While the crank 32 serves to prevent axial displacement of the other shaft 30.

When the improved duplex switch actuator has been properly constructed, assembled and associated with a pair of standard reversing switches 10 as hereinabove described,

the lever 14 will be in upright position as shown whenever bothV of the switches 10 are in neutral or inactive position.

If it becomes desirable to actuate either switch 1@ without actuating the other, this may be done by swinging the lever 1,4.in a vertical plane perpendicular to the casing 11 which houses the switch 10 which it is desired to operate. thus swinging the lever 14 in one direction from the position shown in Fig. 6, the switch 10 at the right of the actuating lever will be thrown into reverse as in Fig. 3, whereas opposite swinging of the lever 14 from the neutral position will throw this same switch 1i) into forward position as in Fig. 4. On the other hand, by swinging the lever 14 in one direction from the position illustratedr in Fig. 7, the other switch l0 at the left of the lever will be thrown in reverse as in Fig. 3, while opposite swinging of the lever 14v from neutral position will throw this same switch 1t) into forward position as in Fig. 4.

If it becomes desirable to actuate both of the switches 10 simultaneously, the lever 14 may be swung at an angle offset relative to the vertical planes in which the axes of the two shafts 2 8,A 30 are disposed. Depending upon the functioning desired the switches may be mounted so that such offset swinging of the lever 14 in one direction from neutral position will operate both switches 10 in forward direction while opposite offset swinging of this lever will Operate both 0fthe Switches, in. reverse; Qr the resuming;

may be such that offset swinging of the lever 14 in one direction will operate one switch in reverse andthe other in forward direction while opposite offset swinging of the lever will reversely operate the same switches. The assemblage is therefore such that the switches 1G may be operated either independently or simultaneously in either forward or reverse direction; and when simultaneous actuation is being effectedthe switches may be simultaneously operated in either forward or reverse, or one switch may be operated forwardly while the other is being operated in reverse and vice-versa.

When the leverl 14. is swung to, the right or left in the plane of Fig. 6, the one-piece shaft 28 will not rotate and the lower lever end 36 will not move along the crank slot 33 but will merely swing the crank 32 thereby rotatiug the crank shaft 30 and the gear 26 attached thereto. However, when the lever 14 is swung to the right or left in the plane of Fig. 7, the crank shaft 3G will not rotate since the lower lever end 36 will ride along the crank slot 33, but the one-piece shaft 28 will thenn be rotated together with the gear 26 attached thereto. lf the lever 14is swung in an offset or intermediate plane, both shafts 28, 36 will be simultaneously rotated and the lever end 36 will travel along the crank slot 33 while also swinging the crank 32, and the roller shown in Fig. 8 may be utilized to reduce the wear and frictional resistance between the lower lever end and the crank slot 33.

FromA the foregoingl detailed description it will be apparent that the present invention provides a duplex switch actuator which is exceedingly flexible and dependable in operation while also being simple and durable in construction. The switches 10V and the actuating mechanism may be readily mounted upon a common base 12 to provide a compact unit all parts of which are readily accessible by merely removing the casings 11 and the top plate 42. The various elements of the unit may be conveniently assembled or disniantled, and are of sturdy construction of materials which will insure prolonged life, and if an anti-friction roller 45 is applied to the lower end of the lever V14 it may be readily replaced when worn excessively. The improvedV units may be manufactured in various sizes for diverse uses at moderate cost, and the improvement has proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction of the duplex switch unit herein specifically illustrated and described', for various modications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In a dual switch unit, a pair of electric switches each having an actuating member movable in opposite directions to effect alternate forward and reverse operation of its switch,V a crank shaft for moving one of said members in opposite directions, a rectilinear shaft for moving the other of said members in opposite directions, said shafts having intersecting axes, and a lever fulcrumed to swing about the point of intersection of said shaft axis and coacting with said shafts to either alternately or simultaneously move said switch actuating members.

2. In a dual switch unit, a'pair of electric switches each having an actuating member rotatable in opposite directions to effect alternate forward and reverse operation of its switch, a rotary crank shaft for rotating one of said members in opposite directions, a rotary rectilinear shaft for rotating the other of said members in opposite directions, said shafts having intersecting axes of rotation, and a lever pivotally mounted directly uponV one of said shafts to swing about a fulcrum coinciding with the intersection of said shaft axes and coacting with said shafts to either alternately or simultaneously rotate said switch actuating members.

3,. In a dualswitch unit, a pair of electric switches each having an actuating member rotatable in opposite directions to effect alternate forward and reverse operation of its switch, a rotary crank shaft for rotating one of said members in opposite directions, a rotary rectilinear shaft for rotating the other of said members in opposite directions, said shafts having intersecting axes of rotation, and a lever pivotally fulcrumed directly upon said rectilinear shaft and having an oscillatory arm swingably cooperable with the crank of said crank shaft to either alternately or simultaneously rotate said switch actuating members.

4. In a dual switch unit, a pair of electric switches each having an actuating member movable in opposite directions to effect alternate forward and reverse operation of its switch, a rotary crank shaft having a longitudinally slotted crank for moving one of said members in opposite directions, a rotary rectilinear shaft for moving the other of said members in opposite directions, said shafts having intersecting axes of rotation, and a lever having a longitudinal slot through which said' rectilinear shaft extends and being directly pivotally mounted upon the rectilinear shaft at its said slot to swing in opposite directions 20 in one plane, said lever having an arm coactng with the slot in said crank and being swingable in opposite directions in a transverse plane.

5. In a dual switch unit, a pair of electric switches each having an actuating member movable in opposite directions to effect alternate forward and reverse operation of its switch, a rotary crank shaft having a longitudinally slotted crank for moving one of said members in opposite directions, a rotary rectilinear shaft for moving the other of said members in opposite directions, said shafts having intersecting axes of rotation, and a lever having a longitudinal slot through which said rectilinear shaft extends and being directly pivotally mounted upon the rectilinear shaft at its said slot to swing in opposite directions in one plane, said lever having an arm coactng with the slot in said crank and being swingable in opposite directions in a transverse plane, said lever also being swingable about said rectilinear shaft in opposite directions in an intermediate plane to simultaneously move both of said switch actuating members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,557,214 McClane Oct. 13, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 728,614 Germany Nov. 30, 1842 

